The Delhi High Court on Monday sought the Centre’s response on a plea seeking CBI probe into alleged criminal misconduct in issuing passport to real estate baron Sushil Ansal despite his conviction in the 1997 Uphaar Cinema fire which claimed 59 lives.
Justice Najmi Waziri issued notice to the Central government, the Regional Passport Office (RPO), Delhi Police and CBI seeking their stand on the application moved by Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) through its chairperson Neelam Krishnamoorthy, who lost two children in the tragedy.
The HC also censured the Delhi Police for not completing its vigilance enquiry into the lapses by its officers who in 2013 cleared Ansal for issuance of a fresh passport. It listed the case for further hearing on December 17.
AVUT, represented by senior advocate Vikas Pahwa, argued that there was a “nexus” and “conspiracy” between the Regional Passport Office officials, police officers and Ansal which led to the issuance of the passport to him despite being convicted in the Uphaar tragedy case. Senior advocate Rebecca John, representing Ansal, opposed the contentions and said that her client was issued a passport in 1996 which was valid till 2016.
Additional booklets
She said that in 2000 and 2004 her client had sought additional booklets for his passport and that is why no police verification was carried out. She also said that her client’s passport had already been impounded and the maximum penalty of ₹5,000 imposed on him as per the Passports Act for not divulging details of criminal cases he was facing when he applied for the travel document.
AVUT, in its plea in the high court, has alleged that Ansal played a fraud on the authorities while getting his passport renewed.
In an affidavit before the court, the RPO has said Ansal seemed to have “deliberately concealed” the details of the criminal case against him.
